OTTAWA: Canada created 40,000 full-time jobs in December, bumping the national unemployment rate down a notch to 7.1 percent -- its lowest level in four years, the government statistics agency said Friday.

Employment in transportation and warehousing rebounded to December 2011 levels.

The construction industry also added jobs. But there were fewer workers in professional, scientific and technical services, as well as in natural resources and public administration, said Statistics Canada.

Overall, the private sector gained thousands of jobs while there was little change in the public sector and among the self-employed. Men aged 25 to 54 filled most of the new positions.